LIVERPOOL: Everton manager David Moyes said he had to defend his “integrity” as the row between the Toffees boss and Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger over the conduct of Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas escalated on Friday.
Moyes insisted after Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday that Spain midfielder Fabregas should have been sent-off at half-time for “disgusting” comments he made to match officials in the tunnel.
At that stage Arsenal were 1-0 down to a goal from Louis Saha which even Moyes readily conceded was offside.
Wenger, whose side are second in the Premier League, reacted to Moyes’s post-match comments by saying “it is wrong for Moyes to come out on what he pretends to have heard in the tunnel.”
However, Moyes countered Friday: “I have to defend the integrity of Everton and David Moyes as well.
“I think it has been said I didn’t see it or I didn’t hear it.
“Well I was there and I saw it and I heard it.
“Cesc questioned Everton’s integrity by suggesting we possibly had given money to the referee.
“In doing that he also questioned the integrity of the referees.
“If I had said that or any other player had said that I think that would have warranted a sending off.
“I think Arsene said there was an unwritten rule that you don’t say things which are in the tunnel.
“Well his player was the one who broke the unwritten rule.
“Because what he did was question Everton football club, that we may be paying officials.”
Moyes, who said he thought Fabregas was speaking to fourth official Kevin Wright, insisted the Spaniard had remained composed throughout.
“Cesc never swore once. He was very calm, very calculated. It wasn’t a rant or a rave like I’ve heard a lot people saying.
“It was just straight to the point and I thought it was out of order and he deserved to be sent off.”
Lee Mason, the referee at the Emirates, made no mention of the incident in his report and the FA have no plans to pursue the matter.
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